LATE-NIGHT PASTAFEAST

In the final part of our unmissable series, Prue Leith reveals some of the special family recipes her loved ones enjoy at Christmas. With comfort food treats such as her late-night pasta feast, lemon polenta cake and ‘Peking’ duck pancakes, they’re sure to become firm favourites with your friends and family too.

I MADE this with my nephew Sam, the journalist, on camera for a photo shoot for Saga Magazine. We made it up as we went along, and were both surprised at how delicious it was. It’s really my English answer to Italian pesto, which has pine nuts, pecorino and basil, not walnuts, Cheddar and parsley. I like mine better!

SERVES 4 ● 600g tagliatelle ● 1 tsp salt ● Little splash of oil

● Large bunch (or three packets) fresh parsley, stalks removed

● 140g walnut pieces, plus extra to garnish ● 3 large cloves garlic, peeled ● 175g mature Cheddar, in chunks ● 150ml rapeseed oil ● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

COOK the tagliatelle with the salt and a splash of oil in plenty of boiling water until just al dente (about ten minutes for dried, three minutes for fresh). Drain, rinse under hot water and leave in the colander to steam dry while you make the sauce. Put the parsley, walnuts and garlic into a large liquidiser or food processor and blitz till smooth. Then add the Cheddar and blitz some more. Finally pour in the rapeseed oil as you pulse it further until it looks like pesto. Mix into the pasta and season with the sea salt and black pepper. Garnish with the walnuts and serve immediately.